Wave motor



1927- w. s. BLOS$- wAvE MOTOR 1 Filed July 1 Invento WZZZam $.Bl06'53.

Patented Feb. 15 1927.

,WILLILAM Gr. BLOSS, LQS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE MOTOR.

Application filed J'u1y 15, 1925. Serial No. 43,728

with its wave plunger at an angle or parallel to the ocean bed, so that the waves will effect the upward power stroke of'the plunger, to drive machinery on the pier, whilethe downward stroke of the plunger will be effected by gravity.

Other objects andadvantages will appear hereinafter, and while I show herewith and will describe a preferred form of construction, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to such preferred form, but that various changes and adaptations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention as hereinafter claimed.

Referring to the annexed drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which my invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my wave motor shown mounted on the ocean bed along the shore under a pier and between the piles thereof.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of my wave motor taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of one of the plunger rollers taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding reference characters designate corresponding parts in all the views of the drawing.

A concrete base 1 is laid on the ocean bed adjacent the shore under a pier 2, between the piles 3 thereof,.the base inclining down wardly from the shore into the ocean. A pipe 4' is embedded in the base 1 extending through the base from the upper to the lower edges thereof. Vertical shafts 5 are journaled in bearings 6 on the inner sides of the piles 3 and extend upwardly through the floor 7 of the pier. Pinions 8 are carried on the lower endsof the shafts 5.

g A wave plunger 10 includes a rectangular plunger frame 11, shafts 12 secured at their ends in side beams 13 on which shafts said plunger frame is mounted, rollers 14 journaled on said shafts 12 to roll on the foundation 1, flanged wheels 5, also journaled on said shafts, and tracks 16 supported on said foundation on which tracks said flanged wheels travel. Racks 17 are provided on the outside of the beams 13 in mesh with the pinions'8. Sleeves 18 are placed on the FFI'CEQ shafts 12 to which sleeves the side rails 19.

of the plunger frame 11 are secured, whereby said frame is mounted on said'shafts. In each roller 14 is fitted a bushing 20 through which the shaft 12 extends and which turns on the shaft. One of the rollers 14 isjour- 'naled on each shaft 12 between the two sleeves 18 on said shaft, the ends of the bushing 20 of the roller abutting against theinn-er ends of said sleeves and confining'the roller in a centrally disposed position on the longitudinal axis of the plunger frame- The hubs 21 of the flanged Wheels 15 engage at one end the inner sides of' the side beams 16.

The other rollers 14 are journaled on the shafts 12 between the flanged wheels 15 re.- spectively and the sleeves 18 nearest said wheels, the bushings 2O of said rollers engaging at theirends the inner ends of the wheel hubs 21 and the outer ends of said sleeves 18 respectively.

A sheave 25 is journaled in a bracket 26 secured on the lower edge of the foundation 1, the sheave resting just above and beyond the lower end of the tube 4. A cable 27 is secured at one end to the lower end of the plunger frame 11 at 28 and extends under the sheave, through the tube 4, over sheaves 29 and 30 and is wound at itsother end around the drum of a spring motor 31 operatively 'mounted on a power shaft 32, there being a ratchet 33 on said shaft engaged by a pawl 34 for preventing backward rotation of the shaft upon the unwinding of the motor under the influence of its spring. r

The inner end of the plunger frame 11 is connected to the piston rod 35 of a pump 36.

On the upper ends of the vertical shafts 5 above the pier floor 7 are loosely mounted bevel gears 37 which mesh with bevel gears 38 on a power shaft 39 j ournaled in bearings 40 secured to the floor of the pier. Ratchets 41 are secured on the upper ends ofthe shafts 5 above the pier floor 7 which ratchets are engaged by pawls 42 pivoted on the bevel gears 37 for preventing backward rotation of the bevel gears 37 and 38, and Shaft '39.

The series of pinions 8 mounted on the anchored vertical shafts 5 and meshing with the horizontally directed teeth of the racks i 17 at eachv side of the motor, forrn suppleextend vertically so as to mesh properly with the teeth of the pinions on the vertical shafts. The teeth of said racks are of sufficient length to maintain proper engagement with the teeth ofsaid pinions at all times, notwithstanding the fact that the cli'nati'on oi the racks causes the teeth thereoi: to move up-and down to some extent 'as the w'ave propelled frame advances and 1 recedes.

In operation the waves W of the ocean act upon the plunger frame 11 to force the plungerupwardly, the rollers 14 rolling on theffoundation 1 and the wheels 15 rolling 011-. the tracks 16. Said'upward movement of the plunger operates the pump 36 through piston rod 35, and drives" the power shaft 32 in one direction and permits spring motor 31 to'wjind up cable 27 The upward movement of the plunger also causes the racks 17 to'rotate tlie'pinons 'S andj vertical shafts o in one direction, which shafts, through the bevel gears 37 and 38-, cause the power shaft 39 to rotate in-on'e direction.

The plunger moves backwardly by 0 rav'ity. During said movement the spring motor 31 unwinds its spring and cable 27 operates its drum, while the pawl 34; and ratchet 33 1 cause rotationor power shaft 32; During the return movement of the plunger the "pawls 42 and ratchets 4&1 prevent backward rotation of bevel shaft 39.

Hence one or the other of shafts 32 and 3.) are being rotated for power transmission whether the wave-propelled element is adgears 37 and 38, and power warming or receding, thus providing anearly.

continuous supply of power.

Having thus described and illustrated my wave motor, I claim: 7 V

'In a wave motor, an inclined wave-propel-led frame, wheels to support said frame, an inclined base whereon said wheel's travel, inclined racks mounted in fixed relation to said frame, the teeth of said racks project inglaterally with respect to said frame, said teeth being at such an angle with respect to the racks to adapt them "for meshing with pinions having vertical axis, pinions in mesh with said racks, vertical shafts on Vwhich said pinions are n'munted, andfixed bearings for said shafts, said pinions being elongated in order to maintain engagement with said inc-lined racks while the latter advance and recede. I

WILLIAM G. BLOSS, 

